Control means for multiple-way electric-circuit devices



Nov. 12 1929. R. E. OLLERENSHAW CONTROL MEANS FOR MULTIPLE WAY ELECTRIC CIRCUIT DEVICEE Filed Nov. 15. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 12, 1929. R. E. OLLERENSHAW CONTROL MEANS FOR MULTIPLE WAY ELECTRIC CIRCUIT DEVICES Filed Nov. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 Preferably 40 4 by closed) Patented Nov. 12, 1929 REGINALD ERIC OLLERENSHAVV, OF LONDON, ENGLAND CONTROL MEANS FOR MULTIPLE-WAY ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT DEVICES I Application filed November 15, 1526, Serial No. 148,409, and in Great Britain April 15, 1926.

- This invention relates to control means for multiple-way electric circuit devices and is particularlyconcerned with multiple-.way illuminated signs. In signs of this type it 5 has hitherto been customary to employ an electric motor for operating the switches which control the illumination of the various parts of thesign. One object of the present invention is to provide in place of the electric motor a simple and comparatively inexpensive device for performing the same. or similar operations.

This invention provides control means for a multiple-way electric circuit device (e, g.

a multiple-way illuminated sign) comprising in combination an oscillatory arm adapted to be maintained in oscillation by an electric current (e. g. the supply current for the multiple-way device) and a series of mechanically operable switches controlling the several'current paths or ways of the device and arranged to be operated in turn by the oscillatory arm aforesaid on movement of the latter.

the oscillatory arm is constituted by the. movable element of a thermal switchor flasher or by a part carried by said movable element. In applying the control means to a multiple-way illuminated sign, the thermal switch is conveniently ncluded in. series with the main lighting circuit and the mechanically-operable switches are arranged to control respectively the illuminating lamps for the several portions of the sign In one construction the mechanical- Ily-operable switches are located in the path of-the movable element (or of a part carried by the movable'element) of the thermal switch in positions to be engaged (and thereinsuccession by the movable ele- -ment aforesaid on its travel in one direction and to be disengaged (and thereby opened) .in the reverse order on the return movement of the heat-actuated element. i z In" its usual form a thermal switch of the flasher type comprises a bi-metallic strip carrying one contact member of a switch and isurrounded by a resistance-heating element adapted to be energized by the passage of current'through it. A fixed switch contact is arranged in co-operative relationship with the contact member carried by the bi-metallic strip so that (due to the heati on the bending of the strip ng effect of the resistance ciable, the actual to and fro travel of the strip during continued operation of the switch is compar atively small. For practical purposes the movement of the strip is so small that it cannot satisfactorily be employed to effect the sequential operation of a number of othe r switching devices.

According to a feature of the invention the above diiiiculty is overcome by employiiig a thermal switch which comprises in combination a make-and-break device (e.

of the snap-over tuated element an type), a movable heat-a2 d a lost motion connection between the movable element aforesaid and the make-and-bre wise, the thermal vention is char-act ak device. Stated otherswitch provided by the inerized in that the movable contact member of the switch (instead of being carried directly by the heat-actuated element) is operated by the heat-actuated element through a lost-motion connection arranged to delay the action of the movable contact member both in making and in breaking the switch contacts. This invention includes a thermal switch as above described whether used for the operation of other switching devices,

or otherwise.

A multiple-way illuminated sign embodying the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings,

which to some extent are diagrammatic, and

in which the upper portion. Figure 2 is a s1 de elevation of the control tion as its initial travel.

mechanism which in Figure 1 is shown in plan.

Figure 3 is a simplified diagram illustrating the electrical connections and principle on which the sign operates.

Figure 4 is a View to a larger scale than Figure 1 showing a portion of the control mechanism with the make-andbreak device in the off position.

Figure 5 is a front elevation showing in detail one construction of sign embodying a feature of the invention. In this figure part of the display front is broken away for the sake of clearness.

Figure 6 is a section at the line 6-6 on Figure 5.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the figures.

The sign itself (shown in the lower portion of Figure 1) is of known form and comprises five illuminating lamps 1, 2, 8, 4 and 5 located in separate compartments provided by a partitioned casing 6. At the display front of the casingfive transparencies (e. g. formed by successive portions along the length of a stencil board 7) are arranged in line in front of the five lamp compartments respectively. The mechanism for controlling the illumination of the sign is so designed as to provide for the illumination of the lamps one at a time from left to right, followed by the extinction of all the lamps (i. e. of the sign as a whole), gradual re-illumination in the same way as before and so on.

The main current supply is controlled by a make-and-break device of the snap-over type. The snap-over member comprises an arm 8 pivoted at 9 and having that end which is adjacent to the pivot formed with a pointed V-shaped extremity for co-operation with a similarly formed wedge 10 carried at the end of a spring blade 11. The pointed ends of the wedge 10 and arm 8 are located opposite each other and the spring 11 is arranged to constrain the wedge in a direction towards the arm. The arrangement is such that if the arm 8 be moved about its pivot to one side or the other of a line joining the axis of the pivot 9 and the point of the wedge 10, the wedge will be forced by its spring inwardly against the inclined face of the arm extremity, and will thereby efiect further and rapid movement of the arm in the same direc- In operation movement of the arm 8 is initiated by an operating member 12 and completed (during which time the member 12 is carried over with the arm, as will be hereinafter explained) by the action of the spring-controlled wedge 10. The operating member 12 of the make-andbreak device is a forked member pivotally mounted at 13 and having the limbs 14, 15 of the fork arranged to embrace that end of the arm 8 which is remote from the snapover wedge 10. In order to limit the movement of the member 12 in each direction adjustable stops 16, 17 are provided to cooperate respectively with insulating pieces 18, 19 carried on the outer faces of the fork limbs. One contact 20 of the make-andbreak device is carried on that end of the arm 8 which is embraced by the fork and the other contact 21 of the device is carried on the inner face of the fork-limb 15. The other limb 1 1 of the fork carries on its inner face an insulating piece 22. lVhen the snap-over arm 8 is in the position illustrated in Figure 1, the contacts 20, 21 are closed and when the arm is snapped over to a position (illustrated in Figure 4) on the opposite side of the aforesaid line through the axis of the pivot 9 and the point of the wedge 10, the arm rests on the insulating piece. 22 and contact is broken. Movement of the forked member 12 is effected through a lost-motion connection by a bi-metallic strip 23 a portion of which is surrounded by a sleeve 24 of insulating material (e. g. asbestos) on which a resistance heating element 25 is mounted. The e ectrical connections are as follows. The illuminating lamp 1 corresponding to the first portion of the sign, the resistance 'hcati element 25, and the contacts 20, 21 of the make-and-break device are connected in a series circuit, indicated generally by the reference numeral 26, having terminals 27 to which the main current supply leads may be connected. The arrangement is such thatthe make-and-break device is normall in the on position shown in Figure 1 so that when current is supplied the aforesaid circuit 26 is closed and the lamp 1 is illuminated. The

aforesaid lost motion connection between the bi-metallic strip 23 and the forked member 12 comprises a spring finger 28 convenient-1y in the form of a wire which at one end is connected to the member 12, and at the other end extends through an apertured lug 29 carried by the bi-metallic strip. When the strip 23 bends, under heat, the flexibility of the finger 28 enables the strip to travel some distance before it initiates movement of the forked member 12 towards its off position. t will be understood that movement of the fork 12 is commenced when the resistance offered by the spring-controlled wedge 10 is overcome. lVhen the arm .8 has been carried past its mid-position by movement of the forked member 12 the arm is snapped-over (by the wedge 10) against the insulating piece 22 and the forked member 12 is carried with it up to the stop 16. When the contacts 20, 21 are opened the main lighting circuit, 26 (which includes the heating element 25) is broken and the lamp 1 (together, as will hereinafter be explained, with the lamps 2, 3, 4t and 5) is extinguished. The bi-metallic strip 23 new cools and the spring finger 28 again allows the strip to move some way before the forked member 12 is swung back to the on position.

The illumination of the other four lamps 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the sign is controlled in the following Way. The resistance heating element 25 is connected at 30 to the bi-metallic strip 23, so that the outer end of the strip itself constitutes part of the aforesaid circuit 26. A contact arm 31 is connected to the outer end of the strip 23 so as to be movable therewith and located in the path of the contact arm are four cooperating contact fingers 32, 33, 34 and 35 arranged in staggered relationship with respect to the arm 31 so that on movement of the arm the latter will engage the fingers one after the other commencing with 32 until all four are engaged. The aforesaid contact fingers constitute the open ends of four parallel circuits 42, 43, 44 and 45 which include respectively the illuminating lamps 2, 3, 4 and 5 for the four remaining sections of the sign and which are in parallel with the main circuit 26 including the resistance heating element 25 and the illuminating lamp 1 for the first section of the sign. On movement of the contact arm 31 the parallel circuits 42, 43, 44 and 45 are closed one after the other commencing with 42 and in this way the sign is illuminated portion by portion from left to right. The aforesaid lostmotion connection, constituted by the spring 28 is such that the contact arm 31 makes contact with the finger 35 corresponding to the last lamp 5 before the forked member 12 is swung into the off position and the main circuit 26 opened. The whole sign is now extinguished and on cooling of the strip 23 the spring 28 permits the strip to move through a distance such that the arm 31 is clear of all four contact fingers before the fork 12 is swung back to the on position. On closing of the contacts 20, 21 the same set of operations is again initiated, and the sign continues to operate automatically so long as current supplied to the circuit 26.

The circuit control mechanism is mounted on an insulating base 46 and is connected with the sign by a flexible cable 47 and terminal connectors 48, 49. In order to prevent excessive sparking at the contacts 20, 21, a condenser 50 (indicated in Figure 1) is connected across the latter. In order to ensure a good electrical connection between the strip 23 and the fork 12, a connection independent of that between the lug 29 and the spring 28 may be provided. A suitable connection for this purpose is shown at 51 in Figure 1 and includes a flexible portion 52. Means may be provided for cutting out a portion of the resistance heater 25 and so adapting the control mechanism to operate with a lamp 1 of higher power. For this purpose an end portion 53 of the resistance element may be shunted by a shunt circuit 54 controlled by an adjustable screw 55.

Screws 56 are provided for adjusting the positions of the contact fingers 32-35, and if desired one or more of the screws 56 may be set to cut out of operation one or more of the lamps 2-5. There may be any desired number of contact fingers and by an appropriate setting of co-operating adjusting screws 56 the control mechanism may be arranged to operate with different signs, i. e. at one time it may be set to operate say with a five-lamp sign and at another time say with a six-lamp sign.

The particular construction of sign shown in Figures 5 and 6 is characterized in that the partitions which subdivide the lamp casing into compartments are adjustable within said casing in such manner as to vary the location of individual compartments with respect to the display front or to vary the area presented at the display front by said compartments. The advantage of a sign of this construction is that it may be used with different display fronts which call for a different subdivision of the illumination furnished by the lamps. As will be seen from Figures 5 and 6 the sign is of elongated form and comprises an open rcct angular frame 60 which extends round the marginal edges of a trough-shaped casing 6. T he casing is closed at each end and adapted to accommodate the illuminating lamps 15. A removable display front, in the form of a stencil board 7 backed with translucent material, is located behind the frame 60 so that it forms a front closure for the casing. One of the end walls of the casing is slotted to per-' mit of the endwise insertion and withdrawal of the board 7 and channels 61 are provided to locate the board in position behind the frame. There are five partitions which provide, in conjunction with one of the end walls of the casing, five lamp compartments for the lamps 15 respectively. Each partition is in the form of a plate 62 which extends at rightangles to the length of the casing from the front to the back thereof. Each plate 62 is provided with flexible edge portions 63, for example, of rubber, which enable the plate to be readily moved along the casing while at the same time effectively restricting the passage of light from one compartment to another. Each partitioning plate 62 carries a lamp socket 64 which is connected by a flexible cable 65 to an outside terminal block 66 at the back of the casing. The terminal connection 49 hereinbefore referred to, and shown' in Figure 1.. is adapted to be engaged with the terminal 66. The illuminating lamps 15 are mounted in the sockets 64 and are therefore movable with the partitions, the flexible cable connections 65 accommodating such movement. Near the back of the casing and extending from end to end thereof is a guide rod 67 which is threaded through sleeves 68 secured in apertures in the plates 62. The guide rod 67, acting in conjunction with the sleeves 68 locates each partition in a position at right-angles to the length of the casing. The partitions are so adj ustedas to locate the lamp compartments immediately behind the corresponding portions of the stencil board 7 which are in turn to be illuminated. \Vhen it is desired to employ a diflierent advertising slogan in which the words are diiferently spaced apart or of different length, the partitions may readily be adjusted to give a new arrangement of lamp compartments appropriate to the new word setting on the stencil board. Thus the same apparatus may be used in conjunction with several interchangeable stencil boards or equivalent display fronts.

I claim:

1. In circuit controlling apparatus the combination of an automatically-operable thermal switch having a heat-actuated element and a movable make-and-break member coupled with the element aforesaid by a resilient connecting piece, and a multiple-contact switch comprising a movable contact-arm carried directly by the heat-actuated element aforesaid, and co-operating fixed contacts controlling circuits and so arranged as to be engaged in turn by the contact-arm aforesaid on its travel in one direction, and to be disengaged in turn in the reverse order on the return movement of said arm.

2. Circuit controlling apparatus comprising' a base, a thermalresponsive element, means for securing one end of the thermal responsive element to the base with the other end tree, a heater surrounding a portion of the element, a plurality of stationary contact members having different effective spacings,

cooperating movable contact member carried by the free end of the element for progressively engaging the stationary contact members as said element is heated, and a lost motion switch actuated by said element in timed relation to the engagement of the moving contact member with certain of the stationary contact members.

8. Circuit controlling apparatus comprising a base a thermal responsive element, means for securing one end. of the thermal responsive element to the base with the other end free, a heater surrounding a portion of the element, a plurality of stationary contact members having ditlerent effective spacings, a cooperating movable contact member carried by the free end of the element for progressively engaging the stationary contact members as said element is heated, and a lost motion switch actuated by said element upon the completion of the engagement between the stationary cont-act members and the mov ing contact member.

In testimony whereofI afiiX my signature.

REGINALD ERIC OLLERENSHAW. 

